Femtocells—building-based wireless access points interfaced with a wired broadband network—are traditionally deployed to improve indoor wireless coverage, and to offload a mobility radio access network (RAN) operated by a wireless service provider. Improved indoor coverage includes stronger signal and improved reception (e.g., voice, sound, or data), ease of session or call initiation, and session or call retention as well. Offloading a RAN reduces operational and transport costs for the service provider since a lesser number of end users utilizes over-the-air radio resources (e.g., radio frequency channels), which are typically limited. With the rapid increase in utilization of communications networks and/or devices, mobile data communications have been continually evolving due to increasing requirements of workforce mobility, and, services provided by femtocells can be extended beyond indoor coverage enhancement; for example, femtocells can be utilized in areas wherein macro coverage is not poor or weak.
Typically, femto and macro networks utilize different frequency bands. Moreover, user equipment (UE), such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) handsets, can access a macro network and scan for a different carrier when the signal strength of the macro network degrades below a specific threshold. However, conventional UEs do not scan other frequency bands when radio conditions are ideal and/or the received signal strength from the macro network is strong, for example, above the specific threshold. In this manner, the UEs can save battery resources that would otherwise be wasted by continuous and/or periodic scanning.
During this traditional approach, the UEs fail to detect or access femto networks placed within ideal/strong macro coverage areas, leading to under-utilization of the femto networks. Thus, the femto networks are unable to deliver the anticipated customer and service provider benefits to the UEs. Moreover, the inability to detect and/or access a femtocell, when the macro cell signal strength environment received at a UE is strong, can negatively impact performance and customer satisfaction.